Come, Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove

Isaac Watts · 1707

Catalog grade guidance: 3–5 — Classic Watts hymn widely used in Christian schools.

23 content lines · 131 words · Est. recitation about 1 min 19 sec (approx.)

Public-domain text for reading and recitation practice. Source: Project Gutenberg #13341.Estimated time uses ~120 words/minute plus short pauses—not a contest rule.

Hymn 2:34.
Breathing after the Holy Spirit;
or, Fervency of devotion desired.

1 Come, holy Spirit, heavenly Dove,
With all thy quickening powers,
Kindle a flame of sacred love,
In these cold hearts of ours.

2 Look, how we grovel here below,
Fond of these trifling toys;
Our souls can neither fly nor go
To reach eternal joys.

3 In vain we tune our formal songs,
In vain we strive to rise;
Hosannas languish on our tongues,
And our devotion dies.

4 Dear Lord! and shall we ever lie
At this poor dying rate?
Our love so faint, so cold to thee,
And thine to us so great?

5 Come holy Spirit, heavenly Dove,
With all thy quickening powers;
Come shed abroad a Saviour's love,
And that shall kindle ours.